http://del.icio.us/
http://digg.com/
http://flickr.com/
'Folksomy' (essentially democratic) sites have become popular because of the collective nature of the data - whether it be images or bookmarks or news. All items are collected, collated and tagged. As data increases, interesting things happen which automatically values items. For example, a link or news items value/popularity can be gauged by how many people collect it.
To some degree of course the same thing happens here on Kos, via the rating system and diary but I think more could be done. The Internet is a (somewhat unrealized) democratic wet dream, IMO.
Here is what the BBC is doing ...
The BBC today unveiled radical plans to rebuild its website around user-generated content, including blogs and home videos, with the aim of creating a public service version of MySpace.com.
In my view, democrats can be doing the same thing !!!
For example - a political digg. Links to political articles - anyone can submit and the best ones bubble to the top.
What lead me to this entry, however, was my concern for the elections and voting and fraud. And the cool things happening with Google Maps.
For example a simple mashup for finding a place to vote in vicinity.
* Put in your zip
* Click a booth
* Print out directions
AND
* Find out information about the site
* Person in charge
* Voting style / technique
** Capacity
I imagine a sort of simplistic watch dog system to monitor things like :
* Dont vote here, this guy is Delay's twin
* Dont vote here cuz they are using Diebold machines
* Vote here because the person in charge is a human being
Basically, the simplest online app possible that I can go to to plan where I'm voting and how I can insure my vote counts. A voting concierge.
Something like that out there already?